Apparatus for locating leaks



March 17, 1931. P. H. GRANGER 1,796,454

APPARATUS FOR LCATING LEAKS Filed :une '26, 192e 2 sheets-sheet `1- BY WMMWMQQ A TTORNEY March 17,-1931. p, H, GRANGER APPARATUS FoR LocATING Lmxs Filed June 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inh. AW

a mi i w ATTORNEY Patented Mar. Y17, 1931 UNITED vSTATES PAUL H. GRAN GER,IOF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. I

APPARATUS FOR LOCATIG LEAKS Application led .Tune 26, 1928. Serial No. 288,519.

This invention relates to apparatus for locating leaks in well piping and the like while in the well hole and under normal conditions of pressure, and it is an object of the inven- 5 tion to provide improved mea-ns for lowering an indicator in a well pipe or tubing past any obst-ruction in its bore, until'the indicator is arrest-ed by an incompressible colulnn o'f Huid standing in the pipe to the level of a leak 1G which is known to exist, so that measuring the distance to which the indicator has descended to its arrested position will accurately locate the leak. v

More particularly it is an object of the in- "3 vention to provide for positively lowering the indicator, as for example by a string of sucker rods, so that it may be forced past any obstructions in the bore of the well pipe such as may be caused by indentations to insure the indicator reaching exactly the level of the leak which is to be located.

It is another object of the invention to provide the indicator with packing means adapted to form a fluid tight sliding fit so that the if: incompressible column of fluid standing in the well piping is prevented from leaking past the indicator.l the packing being preferably so arranged as to form an improved guiding means for preventing the packing 2O catching in the joints of the well piping and insuring the packing moving readily past any indentations or other obstructions in the bore of the piping. The guide for the packing is preferably also so constructed as to 35 provide an improved wear-resisting Contact surface engaging the bore of the piping for preventing the packing being damaged during its travel, with said wear-resisting contact surface preferably adapted to readily 1G locally yield for passing any obstruction.

It is still another object of the invention to provide positive actuating means such as a string of sucker rods for lowering the indicator, with said positive actuating means if 45 desired having a lost motion connection with the indicator whereby the latter may be lowered by its own weight and without operative engagegment by the actuating means until such time as it is arrested by an obstruction in the piping or by meeting the column of incompressible fluid which is maintained in the piping to a point above the level of the leak, whereupon the positive actuating means is adapted to be moved into engagement with the indicator for forcing it past any such obt struction and further lowering the indicatorso as A-to force the incompressible column of liuidontwardly through the leak until the indicator is 'finally arrested by that portion of the column of inid standing in the well piping to the level ofthe leak.

These objects together with further objects which will hereinafter appear, may be obtained byv the' embodiments of the invention illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a well showing the leak indicator in side elevation and descending to operative position; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the leak indicator, partly in axial section Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a fra-gmentary side elevation of one of the packing cups for the indicator; Fig. is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modified construction with the parts in the position they assume before engagement of the indicator by a positive actuating means; and Fig. G is a similar fragmentary view with the indicator engaged by a positive actuating means.

The indicator, which may be employed in tubing, casing, or other well piping, is shown in the drawings as adapted to loc-atc` a leak in well tubing l0 which is received in usual well casing 11. When a leak occurs in the tubing, as evidenced for example by a decrease in the results of the pumping action, the usual string of suckerk rods is withdrawn and the lower end of the tubing is maintained closed, as for example by leaving the usual standing valve in position, and a column of fluid is maintained in the tubing to a point above the level of the leak which is indicated at 12 and through which the column of fluid will slowly escape so that it is gradually lowered to the level of the leak. Before the column of fluid has been lowered to the level of the leak the plug or closure means which forms the indicator is lowered in the tubing until it rests upon the column of fluid.

- The indicator preferably comprises amandrel 13 provided with external packing means adapted to slide in the well tubing and expansble by the incompressible column of fluid in the tlibirgfso as to atight plug or' closure means. Tlie :packing may comprise a series of cu s 14, preferably of leather or other suitab e flexible A.material pressed into desiredc'i'l'por'bo'wl shape; 'and suitably spaced apart on themaaidrel, as for example by sleeves 15 and cup followers 10 adapted to clamp against the central portion-s of the packing cups. The parts may be mainc'atch'i-ng'in the jointsor being-held 'by obstructions such as may result from'irregula'ri'tiesox"indentations inthe. tubing.

'Phe-ends 'of-the lcups may begna'rded by a weak-'resisting means, Which'iswprefe'rably so 'arranged as to assist in guiding the edges of the cups past iobstructions in the" bore of the tubing vand may be also adapted to locally yield for passing any a'ppreciafble obstruction. As an instance of this arrangement the `guidingniea'rns is shown as a plurality of tinlreing Wear resisting 'elements 19 -ot' metal or the. like suitably -'fined .to the exterior surfaces of'lips 18, 'as' by rivets 24), with the bases ot the guide elements preferably positioned f closely adjacent one another and dispose-d all the Way around the circumference-s of the paclti ng -cups vand fthe A'downward ly ext un ding [minted ends of the `guide ckwnents pref'eia bly vdepcndi'x-ig below lips 1-8. The guide ele-- ments are ftlins inclined inwardly in accordance vvitlhtlie t-awper'of' the lips 18' and their pivoted ends are ffree to radially yield for guidin'gthe packing cups past any obstruction inthe tubing sucli as may Ebe caused by an indentation shown at 21.A VThe guiding meanswvi-ll also -insureithe packing cups moving past' the joints 22l'olfltlhe tubi-ng Without catchi-ngifn the joints. and will prevent wearing 'of the materialv Wliicli forms the vpacking cups.

with a guide collar 23 adjacent its upper end and projecting radially to a point closely adjacent the. wall of tubing 10 for maintaining the mandrel substantially concentric therein. The collar 23 is preferably radially recessed as shown at 24 so as to permit free passage of Huid.

The indicator as thusdescribed is adapted to be positively forced downwardly' through Wcllvpiping so Aas to clear any obstruction 'in its bore and force the incompressible col-umn of fluid outwardly through leak 21 until the indicator is arrested by that portion lof the column of fluid standing to the level of the leak, at which point the column of fluid will hold vthe indicator against further descent and thus .permit the leak being Vaccurately located by suitably measuring the distance to which 'the indicator hasl descended.

The-mean'sffor'thus posi-tively lowering-the indicator .may be a usual string of sucker rods shown .at 25, which may :be connected to mandrel 13 by a usual'threadefd box 26 at the lowerend ofthe stringfof' rods engaging a. cooperating threaded pin 27 which may project' :frein the upper end of the'mandrel as shown in Fig. 2. By this arrangement the indicator" may reaidi'ly floweredthrough the kbore ofvwe'll-piping, Vand if an obstruction such as an indentation 21` is encountered or ifith'e packing tends to catch lat anyof the joints 22, .1a suitable force'exerted on the .string oif sucker rods Will'move the indicator past'any such obstruction and will also continue the" downward movement `'of tiie .indicatonwhen the column of' fluid in the tubing ismet, thereby fore-ing 'the fluid outwardly through leaf-k 12 and thusassu-ning positive lowering o fzthe -indicator all'thevvay g to the levelfof the leak Where it -is held :by the incompressible column ott' fluid. It the indicartnr meets anindentation in the tubing-the guard-:ed lips "18'of its packing cups-Will tend to guide Vthe :indicator past the obstruction as a resndt of the 'inclined :arrangement of fthe lips. and the'li-ps 1S will also :tendft'o guide the indicator 4past the joints of -tlie tubi-ng withoutthe packing catchingtherein. providing fthe Wear vvresistingguards A19ofn the lips '18 thepackingeis pmtectediagainst- Wearing action lsuch as Vwouldv tend to damaged. and the 'Sametime the-guiding means 19 is free to yield at any .point in its circumference Aif'an appreciable indentation'or other obstnuction l'is Tnet. The Aconstruction thus assures descent of' fthe indicator :all the Way to -tlie'llevel :of tlleleak' irrespective of what obstructions -may lbe encountered.

it issonietianes desirable .that 'the indicator be. allowed-to 'descend 'of insonni-weight guntil arrested by aniobsbruct-icn ,or by meeting the colmnnfof lfluid standing in*.ftie-tubing', and t'ben vrbe posi-'tively continued -n 4its descent through engagement by :a string of sucker Cil rods or the like, and for this purpose I may employ the modified construction shown in.

Figs. 5 and 6. In this construction the indicator is arranged as previously described and the string of sucker rods is connected thereto by a lost motion connection whereby the string of rods may be lowered through the tubing in back of the indicator but in nonengagement therewith until the indicator is arrested in its gravity descent, whereupon the string of sucker rods may be moved into engagement with the indicator for positively continuing its descent. If after passing an obstruction the indicator is again free for descent by its own weight, its lost motion connection with the string of sucker rods again permits the rods to simply follow the indicator downwardly through the tubing without operatively engaging the same, and at the same time the lost motion connection permits the string of rods to be again brought into operative engagement with the indicator for positively lowering it when so desired. The lost motion connection preferably also provides for elevating or withdrawing the indicator.

As an instance of this lost motion connection a collar may be fixed to the upper end of mandrel 13, as for example by a usual pin and socket connection 31-32, and the string of sucker rods 25 may be lowered through the tubing in spaced relation in back of the indicator as long as the latter freely descends by gravity, and the string of rods may be moved into operative abutment against collar 30 for positively forcing the indicator downwardly in the event it becomes stuck in the bore of the tubing. The lost motion connection is shown as a flexible cable 33 fixed to and depending from the string oi rods and extending through a bore 34 in collar 30 into a bore 35 in the mandrel 13, and abutment- 36 is suitably fixed to the lower eud of the cable and is free to slide through g, the bore in the mandrel. but is adapted to engage a shoulder 37 iu the bore of collar 30 for limiting withdrawal of the cable. By this arrangement the string of sucker rods may be lowered in hack of the indicator and inoperatively spaced therefrom the length of cable as long as the indicator descends freely by gravity. and the indicator may be elevated when so desired by lifting the string of sucker rods so as to engage abutment 36 with shoulder 37. The string of sucker rods is also free for lowering into engagement with collar 30 to positively force the indicator downwardly in the event it becomes stuck, due to the provision of bores 34-35 through which the cable 33 may readily retract as shown in Fig. 6.

The lost motion connection between the mandrel and a positive actuating means such as the string of rods 25 thus maintains a. relation between the parts whereby the mandrel is controlled by the actuating means for with# drawing the mandrel or forcing it downwardly past an obstruction, while at the same time permitting gravity descent of the mandrel without lit being operatively engaged by the actuating means whenso` desired.

I have thus provided extremely. simple but practical .means for insuring descent of -pthe leak indicator toexactly-the-level ofa leak in well tubing or the like, irrespective 'of any inipediment to its descent such as may be caused by the tubing joints or by indentations in the tubing; and with thepindicator thus positioned 'a tthe level of the leak its location may be accurately determined by suitably measuring the distance to which it has descended, as for example by counting the lengths of the string ot' sucker rods connected to the indicator and lowered in the bore in back of the same. With the leak thus accurately located the piping may be rapidly withdrawn for necessary repairs until 4the ascertained location of the leak has been reached.v

' The" improved construction falso provides for controlling descent of the indicator so that it may be lowered by gravity as far as possible 'and t-hen positively forcedV downwardly past any obstruction and ltoits arrested position at the level of a. leak,'with the packing providing a fiuid tight engagement inthe bore of the well piping but adapted .to readily yield `for passing an obstruction withoutl catching thereon, and-the engagement of the packing with the wall of the bore being protected by a wear-resisting medium which is adapted to guide the packing past impediments and readily yield whenan appreciable obstruction ismet.

hat I claim is 1. Means tor locating a leak in piping, compri si ng an elongated closure plug adapted for movement through one end of the piping until arrested in alinement with the leak by an incompressible columny of fluid filling the piping between its opposite end and the said leak. and au elongated operating device comprising a compression string adapted for in sertion in the piping back of the closure plug and having means tor engagement or noncngagement with the closure plug, the said engagement ot the operating device with the closure plug providing for positively forcing the closure plug through the piping.

2. Mea-ns for locating a leak in piping, comprising a closure plug adapted for movement through one end of the piping until arrested in alinement with the leak by an incompressible column of fluid filling the piping between its opposite end and the said leak, an

elongated operating device adapted for insertion in the piping in back of the closure plug. and a lost motion connection between the operating device and the closure plug adapted for engagement or non-engagement oiE the operating device with the closure plug,

thesa-idengagernent, of xthe iopeiatingz device witlbthe Closureplug.providing fo'gpositirely forcing? the' closure'plngthienghlther piping;

A 3..eMe'ai'1sfor locati-n' `g,f. leaks Nvellffpiping comprising a :'movableclosre meansfaidapted to be inserted ,wi-thin.- the .pipingand to Aineke liquid ,tightioontact therewith under the pressure'jof liquidinv theA piping, a String adapted to beylowered inv-the piping in backUof the closure means,l and a 'lost motion; connection betweenfthe string and. t-he closure me'ans adnpted for engagement :01: non-engagement a v o1 the string Withthe closure means, the Vsaid engagement *ofl the string with .the Closure f means providing; for forcing. itl downward-ly through the piping .past 'any obstmlctio'n an'd unt-il :arrested in alii-lenient with the-.leakfby n. eol-n-mnof ffluicl standing-in .the piping to the levelfqfthe leak. v i v fie A closure fplnga'dapted -orinserftionin .pipingfan elongatedoperting device, a conf neetionbetweenthe. plug andfsaid 'operating device adapted for retraction-in.saidplugto i' y I .permit :engagement of the plug 1byythe :operaftingT-,leviee'fer foreingtheplng ,Ihrough th'e piping, tllieeticlfconneotionbeing .adapted- 01? Withdzawalrom the .plug'tofnonfengagebly spaee the operating device fromthe'plug and means for ,limiting said withdrawal of' tlje connectionflromthe plug.l v,

[5.- Afclosure plug aclafptecl vfor insertion in vvv'ellltnbing;and liavingn boreg-a collar adapted for mounting' Aolnthe -plug andyhavngJ 4in bore -nlining with the plUgIbOl'e 'nd provided with-a slloulclergand @flexible member having im abutment slidable in said'bores and adaptf ed fto; engage 'said .shoulder l for limiting 'withdrawal of the flexible member, the projecting @nfl of Said flexible member beingadpted for connection 13o-a4 string oi the like.

In witneee that I claim the foregoing I lui-ve hereunto snbseribed my naine this 8th (lay of June, 1928. f 1. A

, PAUL GRANGER;

meen-s4 

